Page 1 of Remember Us This Way

Prologue

Zoey

Noah stares into my eyes as though I’m the only girl in the world, his dark gaze sending a million fluttering butterflies soaring through the pit of my stomach. A soft smile plays on my lips, and when his warm hand takes mine, he drops down on one knee.

My chest swells with happiness as he clutches his mother’s ring between his fingers, and in this moment, I’ve never been happier. “Zoey Erica James,” he says, not daring to take his eyes off mine as the soft spring breeze catches in my hair, blowing my chestnut locks around my face. “Will you marry me?”

His voice doesn’t shake, and as I stare down at him, I see the rest of my life flash before my eyes, playing out like a movie. Only my hand falls away, dropping to my side as red-hot anger booms through my chest. “NO!” I huff, stomping my foot and crossing my arms over my chest. “You did it wrong. You’re supposed to tell me how beautiful I am.”

Noah groans, the frustration clear in his eyes as he scrambles to his feet. “I did not do it wrong,” he argues, that temper of his quickly boiling to the surface as his little brother, Lincoln, kicks a goal and cheers to himself across the yard. “That’s what they do in all the movies.”

“MOM!” I whine, feeling the tears beginning to sting my eyes as I turn to find our mothers watching us from the back patio, my baby sister, Hazel, crying in her bouncer. “Noah’s not doing it right.”

“Oh, honey,” she says with a heavy sigh, a tightness in her eyes that’s been there ever since she brought me home from the doctor yesterday. She quickly wipes her face, and I wonder why she’s so sad. It’s a happy day. Noah and his mom are here. That’s her favorite thing in the world . . . mine too. “I think he did a wonderful job. It was a million times better than your daddy’s proposal to me.”

Noah’s mom laughs, watching us with sadness in her eyes as she scoops up my sister and gently rocks her in her arms. “Come on, Noah. Give it another try. Zoey is your bestest friend in the world. Dig down deep and really blow her away.”

Noah groans and lets out a heavy sigh before turning back to me, and I smile wide, more than ready to have my bestest friend blow me away . . . whatever that means.

He mutters under his breath before his gaze lifts back to mine. He takes my hand, only this time, he’s clearly not in the mood to play along, but it doesn’t matter to me. As long as Noah is playing with me, I’m happy. I’m always happy when he comes over. And when he smiles at me . . . maybe that’s what it means to blow me away.

Noah holds my gaze and inches toward me, his chest right in front of mine. “Zoey Erica James,” he starts again, and my smile stretches wide over my face as he drops back down to one knee. “You are the most beautiful girl in the world. Can you marry me now?”

Elation bursts through my veins, and I squeal, never so happy in my life. “YES!” I boom before throwing myself at him. Noah wraps his arms protectively around me as we crash to the ground, and his mother’s ring tumbles into the long grass, probably never to be seen again, but I don’t care about that.

I slam my lips down on his, giving him the biggest kiss I can possibly manage. “You’re going to be the bestest husband, Noah Ryan.”

“Ugh, gross, Zozo,” he says, shoving me off him, and as I fall into the dirty grass and stain my dress, he wipes the back of his arm across his mouth, losing my kiss. “This is stupid. You have girl germs.”

My bottom lip wobbles as I get to my feet, my butt hurting from when he shoved me off him, but I won’t dare tell him that. Noah’s so brave. I don’t ever want him to see me not being brave too. “I do not have girl germs.”

“Uh, yeah you do,” he argues back. “You’re a girl. You’re wearing a silly dress and have flowers in your hair. That makes you a girl, and I don’t want stupid girl kisses.”

“They’re not stupid,” I throw back at him, tears welling in my eyes.

“Ugh,” he groans, getting annoyed. “Why do we always have to do what you wanna do? Can’t we just play tag or something like that? You haven’t even seen my new bike yet.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment, and as the tears fall down my face, I turn and run. I run with everything I am.

“Mommy,” I cry, only she doesn’t look up because she’s silently crying into Aunt Maya’s shoulder. My tears fall harder at the sight. She never has time for me anymore. She’s always busy talking to doctors or crying with my daddy.

Huffing, I go for the door, barging through and passing our daddies in the living room. The game is on, but neither of them seems to be watching it. My feet hit the stairs, and I run faster than I’ve ever run before.

Noah said my kisses were stupid, but they’re not stupid. They’re special. Like a gift from me to him. If he gave me a kiss, I would always keep it special.

Barging into my room, I slam the door behind me and throw myself down on my bed, smooshing my face into my pillow and letting the tears flow free.

He’s supposed to be my bestest friend.

My tears eventually dry, and while it’s barely been a few minutes, it feels like a lifetime. Is this what life is supposed to be about? Boys hurting my heart? Because if that’s it, I don’t want it. I want to always be happy with Noah. I want him to love me like I love him, but he can’t love me if he thinks my kisses are stupid.

A knock sounds at my bedroom door, and I sit up on my bed, watching as it swings open. Noah stands on the other side of the doorway, looking like he just swallowed a whole lemon.

He looks anywhere but at me, and I squint my eyes at him real hard, more than ready to give him a piece of my mind, but I don’t know what to say. Noah Ryan broke my heart, and even though we were just playing, it still hurts.

“Your mommy made you come and say sorry, didn’t she?”

Noah rolls his eyes and huffs, inching into my room, still refusing to meet my stare. He’s never been good at apologizing. He hates it, almost as much as he hates my kisses. “Yes,” he grumbles.

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